Mail from Council of Europe (No American or other lobbies)

GRUDEN Matjaz Matjaz.GRUDEN@coe.int

22/02/2008

to XXXXXXXXX

With regard to the Council of Europe none. Mrs de Boer Buquicchio expressed her personal support for the initiative, even though she made it clear that its content corresponds to the CoE position. As to the press conference itself, it was organised by our colleagues in the EP and we had not been involved in the decisions on its format or participants.

sincerely,

Matjaz Gruden

Special Adviser and Spokesperson

Private Office of the Secretary General

and the Deputy Secretary General

Council of Europe

tel. + 33.3.88.41.21.18

e-mail: matjaz.gruden@coe.int

-----Original Message-----

From: XXXXXXXX

Sent: Friday 22 February 2008 12:15

To: GRUDEN Matjaz

Subject: Re: Reply to your mail to CoE Deputy Secretary General

Thank you for your reply.

I am left with one question:

What is the formal status of the joint declaration of 19/2/2008

What was the reason for Mr. De Combret's participation

Sincerely,

XXXXXX

On 21/02/2008, GRUDEN Matjaz wrote:

Thank you for your email.

Let me clarify that the Deputy Secretary gGeneral has made it clear that the best interest of the child should always come first, that our new draft Convention on adoption revised considerably improves national adoption procedures and that, should national adoption not be available, international adoption in conformity with the 1993 Hague Convention should remain an option.

This has nothing to do with American or other lobbies: it is a statement dictated by common sense and in line with international standards.

Best regards,